French artist and photographer JR jumps in front the Louvre pyramid after recovering it 'with a surprising anamorphic image', according to the museum in Paris on May 25, 2016. This recovering introduces the opening of JR exhibition 'Contemporary art  JR at the Louvre' will run from May 25 to June 27, 2016. JOEL SAGET / AFP.

PARIS.- JR has chosen the biggest gallery in the world to showcase his art: public spaces. For some ten years now, the artists monumental photographic pastings have been popping up on the walls of cities in all four corners of the globe. The most important thing, he ex-plains, is where I put my photos and the meaning they take on depending on the place. Whether it be the Middle East, the favelas of Rio, slums of Kenya, New York, Le Havre, or Shanghai, JRs works leave no one indifferent, because they cut to the very heart of our innermost selves. His spectacular mode of intervention pos-es questions about artistic creation, the role of images in the age of globalization, and their widespread use, from intimate circles to mass distribution. Invited by the biggest museum in the world, JR has set his sights on one of the Louvres symbols, the Pyramid, which ... More

An assistant poses with first editions of the First Four Folios of William Shakespeare's collected plays during a press preview at Christie's auction house in London on April 19, 2016. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP.

LONDON(AFP).- A rare first edition of British playwright William Shakespeare's works from 1623 sold for £1.87 million (2.46 million euros, $2.75 million) at Christie's on Wednesday, the auction house said. A private US collector bought the book as well as three subsequent Shakespeare collected works from 1632, 1664 and 1685 for a total of £2.48 million. "The universality and timelessness of Shakespeare's insight into human nature continues to engage and enthrall audiences the world over," Margaret Ford, international head of books and manuscripts for Christie's, said in a statement. Ford said earlier: "It is deeply moving to handle the first printed record of his collected plays and to be reminded of their tremendous impact." The book, known as a First Folio, was published just seven years after Shakespeare's death. Around 750 copies are believed to have been printed and only around 200 ... More

A Mijiaya funnel analysed for this study (in total 2 funnels have been analyzed). Photo: Jiajing Wang.

MIAMI(AFP).- Residue on pottery from an archeological site has revealed the earliest evidence of beer brewing in China left from a 5,000-year-old recipe, researchers said Monday. The artifacts show that people of the era had already mastered an "advanced beer brewing technique" that contained elements from East and West, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a peer-reviewed US journal. Yellowish residue gleaned from pottery funnels and wide-mouthed pots show traces of ingredients that had been fermented together -- broomcorn millet, barley, a chewy grain known as Job's tears, and tubers. "The discovery of barley is a surprise," lead author Jiajing Wang of Stanford University told AFP, saying it is the earliest known sign of barley in archeological materials from China. "This beer recipe indicates a mix of Chinese and Western traditions -- barley from the West; millet, Job's tears and tubers from China." The ... More

Lottatori, (wrestlers), first century B.C. Roman sculpture, is part of the Uffizi Gallery collection in Florence, Italy, to be digitized in 3-D.

BLOOMINGTON, IN.- A cooperative agreement between Indiana University and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, will result in an unprecedented initiative to digitize in 3-D the museum's entire collection of 1,250 pieces of irreplaceable Greek and Roman sculpture. The project between the Uffizi, one of the oldest and most renowned art museums in the world, and IU's Virtual World Heritage Laboratory will create high-resolution 3-D digital models of the Uffizi sculptures and make them freely available online by IUs bicentennial in 2020. The Uffizi collection is located at the gallery as well as the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens, other famous cultural sites in Florence. The 1,250 works of art comprise the third largest collection of its kind in an Italian state museum. Largely assembled by the Medici family from the 15th to the 18th centuries, the sculptures include some of the most admired classical antiquities in the history of art, notably t ... More

An experienced museum director and art historian, she possesses global connections and is highly communicative.

DRESDEN.- Saxony's Minister for the Arts, Dr Eva-Maria Stange, introduced Dr Marion Ackermann as the new Director General of Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden to the public today in Dresden. Marion Ackermann will take up the post on 1 November 2016, and will, as Director General, be responsible for overseeing the directors of the 14 museums. "We are delighted that Marion Ackermann is exchanging the Rhine for the Elbe. She was the selection committee's first choice, and I was most pleased to act on its recommendation," explained the Minister for the Arts. She continued: "We were seeking a long-term solution for the head of the SKD's Executive Board which would guarantee continuity, and Marion Ackermann fulfils this brief perfectly. An experienced museum director and art historian, she possesses global connections and is highly communicative. Not only will she continue to extend Staatliche Kunstsammlungen ... More

TACOMA, WA.-Tacoma Art Museum announced the purchase of a significant, rare landscape painting by artist Grafton Tyler Brown (18411918), whose works are highly sought by museums. The artist has strong Northwest connections; Brown painted A Canyon River with Pines and Figures (Yellowstone), circa 1886, while living in Portland, Oregon. He traveled extensively throughout the Pacific Northwest and the broader western region. The stunning scene depicts the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone with pine forests in the foreground, rugged sunlit rock walls leading the eye into the distance, and the Yellowstone River winding through the canyon. At nearly five feet wide, it will have a big impact in the galleries at TAM, where it will be unveiled on Wednesday, May 25, in the Liliane and Christian ... More

Project is public-private partnership with the City of New York.

BRONX, NY.-The Bronx Museum of the Arts announced plans for a major architectural enhancement and upgrade of its facility to better serve its community and visitors, add new spaces for public programs and exhibitions, and to strengthen its crucial contribution to the civic fabric of the Bronx. The project is a public-private partnership with The City of New York, including the Mayors Office, the City Council, Office of the Bronx Borough President, and New York State Assembly to support the Museums growing role as a vital resource for the community and destination for the Bronx and visitors to the City, and to meet the demands of significantly increased attendance. The project, funded through the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs and managed by the NYC Department of Design and Construction, will advance the Museums openness and expand connections with the neighborhood it has called home since 1971. The Museum concurrently ... More

LONDON.- Today at Sothebys in London, Finnish artists Helene Schjerfbeck and Albert Edelfelt commanded strong prices when two rare and important works came under the hammer in an auction of 19th Century European Paintings. Schjerfbecks The Red-Haired Girl II was pursued by three determined bidders, driving the final sale price to £1,205,000 (1,574,934), more than double its pre-sale low estimate (£500,000-700,000 / 635,000-890,000). The painting was acquired by the Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation in Finland  one of the finest collections in the Nordic region, embracing Finnish art from the Golden Age through to the 20th century, alongside works by other European masters from the 15th to the 19th centuries. This was preceded by La laitière, a long- ... More

DALLAS, TX.- A record-setting season of fresh-to-market Modern & Contemporary Art surpassed $6.86 million and set a house record during Heritage Auctions' spring offering, including its first auction dedicated to Prints & Multiples. "Once again, we proved Heritage's distinct competitive advantages in the middle market," said Frank Hettig, Director of Modern & Contemporary Art. "Last spring our auction reached $3.8 million and unlike other houses where sales have dramatically reduced in size, we have grown selling more six-figure works than ever before." The New York sale held May 2 was 78 percent sold by value and set a record for the highest number of six-figures lots selling at a Heritage art auction. In the afternoon session, bidders focused on international artworks such as Composition by Fernand Léger, a classic 1925 watercolor that soared past its $150,000 low ... More

Manolita Marequis" is an excellent example of Henri's fascination with Spanish subjects.

PHILADELPHIA, PA.- With paintings from three generations of Wyeths, two members of The Eight, and representatives of the New Hope School among others, Freemans American Art & Pennsylvania Impressionists auction touches on important genres and subjects of great American art, in short a collectors dream. The June 5 auction includes 125 lots and begins at 2pm. Its a solid sale with good names and good paintings; ones that will appeal to private buyers. They are fresh to the market, which we always strive for. Some have been hanging in homes for many years, said Vice Chairman Alasdair Nichol. After selling four works of illustration art by N.C. Wyeth within the past year for a total of $1.3 million, another exceptional illustrative work by Wyeth comes to auction at Freemans. After the Days Work (Arriving Home) (Lot 80, est. $150,000-250,000) is an idyllic ... More

LONDON.- Simon Hope Chairman of H&H Classics today announces four new appointments to bolster the companys dynamic sales, marketing and new business development team. Simon Hope, who has led this change, comments: After 23 years of steady growth which has seen H&H become one of the most trusted and recognised names in the Classic Car industry, we are capitalising on that achievement by investing in some of the best people in the classic car and auction worlds. Our current team is massively talented but these new appointments will help take us to new levels and new markets and help embed our success for the future. They will ensure that when we tell clients that we can compete at the top level they will know we mean just that. The new arrivals will work closely with Chairman Simon Hope as he directs this next phase of development with new Managing Director, Dominic Lyncker, who will continue to be helped by Damian Jones, Auction Sa ... More

HAMBURG.- With total proceeds of more than  1.65 million*, the two day auction of Rare Books at Ketterer Kunst in Hamburg on 23/24 May realized an excellent result. The amount topped last spring's figure by around  250,000 and even slightly exceeded the last autumn result. One of the finest and most scarce works by Kurt Schwitters was particularly sought-after. In cooperation with Käte Steinitz, Kurt Schwitters created an unusual children's book and at the same time a gem of Dada literature in 1924. The HahnePeter (lot 96), who says Kra when being tickled, fascinated a great number of art lovers. While three of them were bidding in the salesroom, five were represented on the phones and almost a dozen had placed written bids. Accordingly, the price soared to five digit realms in no time. The hammer went down at a result of  36,000 and it showed that the first edition, published in a print run of o ... More

VIENNA.- At the heart of the upcoming Dorotheum design auction on 16th June 2016 is a piece of furniture with a special history: The event presents an important early example of organic design, the result of a cooperation between two exceptional architects and design artists of the 20th century, Charles Eames and Eero Saarinen. Their Organic Chair was created in 1940, for a competition on Organic Design in Home Furnishings held by the Museum of Modern Art New York. The definition of organic design referred to the harmonious proportions of individual elements within the object as a whole, with regard to structure, material, and purpose. The conditions of the competition stipulated that the furniture item could be manufactured on an industrial scale. As a result of the war, this goal was not achieved. Even the intended aluminium legs had to be replaced by wooden ones owing to shortages  though this did ... More

QuoteCritics are a gang of spiteful rascals always baiting us as if we had murdered. Carracci

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Gallery opens an exhibition devoted to one of Canada's most notable contemporary artistsOTTAWA.-The National Gallery of Canada presents, from May 20 to September 5, 2016, Chris Cran, Sincerely Yours, the most comprehensive exhibition ever produced on Albertas Chris Cran. The exhibition features over 100 paintings and drawings from the national collection and other institutions, and surveys Crans artistic production over the last 40 years. Chris Cran is renowned for his humorous and inventive takes on traditional genres such as still life, portraiture, landscape and abstraction. Challenging perception and drawing from major movements such as Pop art, Op art, Modernist Abstraction and Photorealism, Cran playfully combines imagery borrowed from art history and popular culture. Chris Cran has made an enormous contribution to the contemporary art scene, particularly in Alberta, both as an influential painter and as a generous mentor to ... More

"Marks of the Trade" by Anthony Adcock on view at Lyons Wier GalleryNEW YORK, NY.-Lyons Wier Gallery is presenting "Marks of the Trade" by Anthony Adcock. "The first time I saw Anthony Adcock's work it took a while for my head to process what my eyes were seeing. I was transfixed by the surface of what seemed to be a paint-test on a piece of dirty plywood. Having painted walls myself many times, there was something about the surface that transcended the simple composition before me," Michael Lyons Wier, Owner & Director. Adcock explains, "I have taken a minimalistic route with Trompe loeil painting that has led me to create frameless paintings that function similarly to the original objects the paintings mimic. The paintings resemble common flat surfaces, including dusty planks of wood, rusty sheets of steel, concrete slabs, and other commonly used building materials found on construction sites. The surfaces retain indexical ... More

Puerto Rican artist Angel Otero's first gallery exhibition in Hong Kong opens at Lehmann MaupinHONG KONG.- For his first Hong Kong gallery exhibition, Puerto Rican artist Angel Otero will present Born in the Echoes, a group of new paintings that bring his unique visual language to the forefront. Otero is dedicated to continuing the tradition of abstraction, and is an innovator in the genre. His richly textured abstract paintings engage in a dialogue with art historical themes while grappling with the artists own history and sense of self. Through innovative techniques and physically engaging processes, Otero continually experiments with materials, drawing much of his inspiration from the inherent qualities of paint. Otero begins each painting by reproducing reference images in thick oil paint on a large plate of glass. Once the paint is almost dry, the artist scrapes the oil skin from the glass surface, draping and collaging it onto large-scale canvases, obscuring the original ... More

First exhibition in Australia to focus on the art of the Tang Empire on view in SydneySYDNEY.-The Art Gallery of New South Wales is presenting Tang: treasures from the Silk Road capital, the first exhibition in Australia to focus on the art of the Tang Empire. Tang: treasures from the Silk Road capital features a wondrous array of rare gold, silver and glass artefacts as well as ceramics, sculptures and mural paintings from the Tang Empire, many of which are national treasures of China and attesting to their great cultural significance. Some of the 135 objects have never before been exhibited outside China. Art Gallery of New South Wales director Dr Michael Brand said the Gallery is extremely privileged to host such an extensive range of precious Chinese treasures. For the first time, Australian audiences are able to appreciate the high artistic achievements and rich history of this golden age of China as Tang: treasures ... More

Phillips announces highlights from June Evening & Day Editions SaleLONDON.-Phillips Evening and Day Editions auctions in London will present a strong offering of museum-quality original prints and multiples by celebrated masters of the 20th and 21st centuries. The two auctions will include over 240 lots, carrying a pre-sale estimate of £1.6 to £2.4 million, and showcasing works by Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Lee Ufan, Sigmar Polke, Damien Hirst, Julian Opie and Tony Cragg. An iconic selection of screenprints by Andy Warhol are amongst the top lots in the Evening portion of the auction, including several unique works: The Scream (after Munch) (acquired directly from the artists studio in 1987), Shadows V, and Apple, from Ads - as well as a group of familiar faces: Marilyn, Mick Jagger (currently the subject of the Exhibitionism: The Rolling Stones exhibition at Saatchi Gallery, London), Lenin, and Queen Elizabeth ... More

Jiun in June alongside fine interiors & decorative works ALAMEDA, CA.-Michaans June 20, 2016 Fine Asian Works of Art auction brings an outstanding modern work to the marketplace in Pang Jiuns (b. 1936) oil on canvas Wild Chrysanthemums at an estimate of $40,000-60,000. Appearing as a snapshot of an unassuming arrangement of largely yellow chrysanthemums bursting from a cylindrical vase upon a red mat, the piece delights with a natural spontaneity. Although the chrysanthemums take precedence in space and form, a sense of joy continues to be felt even upon the background, as playful, yet subdued, dotted strokes cover the space. Acquired directly from the artist in 1982, the piece is signed and dated upon the lower right, measuring a square 23 by 23 inches (lot 9236). Jiun was recognized as a Shanghainese art prodigy, graduating from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing at eighteen years of age, ... More

Freeman's and Lyon & Turnbull to hold inaugural auction in Hong Kong May 31PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Lyon & Turnbull, Scotlands Oldest Auction House, will partner with Freemans, Americas Oldest Auction House, for their inaugural auction in Hong Kong at the Liang Yi private museum on May 31. Following their 2015 sponsorship of Asia Week Hong Kong, along with their successful 15-year transatlantic marketing alliance, an auction in Hong Kong was the next step for the two auctioneers. This specially curated debut sale of Chinese Works of Art, will include approximately 150 lots ranging porcelain, jade, bronze, lacquer, furniture and early wares. The sale includes many highlights from private American and British collections. Of particular note from Lyon & Turnbull, a magnificent blue and white Dragon dish Chenghua dish from a private English collection, estimated at $340,000-560,000 HKD and a rare pair of 17th century huanghuali Southern ... More

Oklahoma City Museum of Art names Michael J. Anderson, Ph.D., Director of Curatorial AffairsOKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.- Dr. Michael Anderson has been named director of curatorial affairs at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Anderson, previously curator of film and American art at OKCMOA, has curated the Museum Film program at OKCMOA and coordinated several high-profile exhibitions at the Museum including "Fabergé: Jeweler to the Tsars," "Warhol: The Athletes" and "Matisse in His Time: Masterworks of Modernism from the Centre Pompidou, Paris." "Michael's academic credentials combined with his curatorial integrity and administrative acumen make him an ideal fit for this position and an important asset to the Museum" said E. Michael Whittington, President and CEO. "He has coordinated our most significant recent special exhibitions including 'Fabergé' and 'Matisse,' in addition to organizing several permanent collection exhibitions. His work will be featured ... More

Strong prices for 19th-century European paintingsLONDON.- Todays sale of 19th Century European Paintings at Sothebys in London brought a total of £5,205,875 ($7,608,386 / 6,856,688), against a pre-sale estimate of £3.64-5.3 million and with 69% of lots sold. Claude Piening, Head of Department, 19th Century European Paintings, Sothebys London, said: We were extremely pleased with todays results which, seen together with our excellent sale in New York last week, confirms that the 19th-century European paintings market is in rude health. Collectors and institutions competed to the highest levels for masterpiece works, including Helene Schjerfbecks The Red-Haired Girl II (which we are thrilled will be accessible to the public in its new home), and Henri Gervexs Rolla, a veritable icon of French 19th-century art. The sale saw a depth and breadth of bidding across many categories and markets. Notable highlights include: ... More

Chief Curator Lucinda Barnes to retire after fifteen years at Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film ArchiveBERKELEY, CA.-The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive announced that longtime BAMPFA curator Lucinda Barnes will retire on June 29, 2016. Barnes joined the BAMPFA curatorial staff in 2001, and for the past twelve years has served as the museums Chief Curator and Director of Programs and Collections. In this role, she has supervised the full curatorial divisionart, film, collections, and libraries. Her tenure has included several major collection, development, management, and conservation initiatives, and Barnes has been central to facilitating the addition of many important works to BAMPFAs encyclopedic holdings of artworks and films. In recent years, her work has also included overseeing the complex logistics of moving BAMPFAs collections and study centers into its new home in downtown Berkeley. The past fifteen years at BAMPFA have been ... More

Michael Alvarez's 'Sorealism' at Museum as Retail SpaceLOS ANGELES, CA.-Museum as Retail Space is presenting "Sorealism" by Michael Alvarez, his first solo exhibition, domestically and internationally. Eighteen oil paintings on canvas and wood panel will be on view through June 4th. A native Angeleno, Alvarez grew up in North East Los Angeles, and his subjects are typically from the milieu of the city's street community, civic spaces, and domestic life. Alvarez depicts in a sharp vérité style characters and social scenes from his life as sprawling and ornamented memories. The representational virtuosity Alvarez articulates his work by underlines a need for direct experience, both in process and societally. The regionalism of Alvarez's work is brought into contrast by his references to social media, cell phones, and photographic artifacts - facets of our age of global electracy. As time and space are collapsing through digital ... More

"Will Martyr | WanderLust"

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Flashback

On a day like today, American photographer Dorothea Lange was born

August 26, 1895. Dorothea Lange was an influential American documentary photographer and photojournalist, best known for her Depression-era work for the Farm Security Administration (FSA). Lange's photographs humanized the tragic consequences of the Great Depression and profoundly influenced the development of documentary photography. In this image: Dorothea Lange in 1936.